Softball: Tigers clinch playoff spot

The Douglas High softball team is bound for the playoffs.

Coming off getting swept by Reno last month, the Lady Tigers bounced back to sweep three consecutive series, capping it off with a doubleheader sweep of Hug Saturday afternoon.

The wins put Douglas into the playoffs, although the next two weeks will have a large say over what seed the Tigers end up taking.

Heading in against Damonte Ranch this week, Douglas can finish anywhere from the No. 2 to the No. 4 spot -- Reno wrapped up the league title this week with a sweep of Carson.

"Damonte will be real critical," Douglas coach Andy Mitchell said. "They are playing well, they are just a good team. They have a couple of great pitchers and they hit well."

The nine consecutive games against the weaker programs in the league don't have Mitchell too worried, though.

"We've tried to keep the intensity up all along," he said. "We'll look for a couple of strong days of practice this week and then come out and try not to do too much with Damonte.

"We have a strong team top to bottom, so we'll get out there and try to hit the ball well."

That wasn't a problem at all against Hug. The Tigers pounded out 22 hits in the doubleheader while picking up 11-1 and 12-2 wins.

"We were able to focus and do a better job today of staying back and hitting line drives," Mitchell said. "We looked good at the plate."

In game one, shortstop Emily Weaver drove in four runs while Mackenzie Cauley hit a solo home run, Rebecca Trute tripled and Stephanie Harper drove in three runs.

Marina Diaz also drove in a run for the Tigers while Harper pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Morgan Blomstrom, Cauley and Harper each had three RBIs in game two as Cauley doubled twice for Douglas' only extra base hits.

Katrina Morgan also had an RBI in the game while Harper struck out four and senior Dorothy Sliva struck out three.

Douglas improved to 18-5 overall and 12-3 in league play with the wins. The Tigers will follow up the Damotne series by closing out the season against Wooster.